The Massachusetts Pirates professional arena football team in Worcester has signed former University of Louisville defensive back Chucky Williams for the 2019 season.

Most recently he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Rams and took part in OTA’s and mini-camp this past season. He enjoyed his opportunity, but when asked if the Rams made the ultimate mistake in letting him go he laughed and said “most definitely, but things happen for a reason and I’m not going to question God’s plan,” he said.

After the Rams released him he had a few tryouts with other NFL teams but there were no real opportunities as far as signing. Still, Pirates General Manager and Director of Player Personnel Jawad Yatim sees what Williams can bring to the organization.

"Chucky will be a versatile player for us. He has tremendous size for a defensive back which allows us to utilize him in in different ways. He had a tremendous career at Louisville, gradually improving and concluding his career with his best season statistically as a senior. He's a physical presence in the secondary, rangy and covers a lot of ground with his length. He’s a very sound tackler, recognizes and reacts on plays quickly. He just has a knack for being around the ball and making plays which is evident by the 14 turnovers he caused during his time at Louisville. He's also durable playing in 13 games for three consecutive years. He was one of the leaders on that defensive unit which means he's a good communicator which is a trait we certainly appreciate. He'll be a great addition to our organization and we are looking forward to having him up here in Massachusetts," Yatim said.

Williams played four seasons with the Cardinals appearing in 48 games. Williams finished his college career with 252 tackles, 13 for a loss, registered two sacks and nine interceptions along with five fumble recoveries and seven forced fumbles. During his time at Louisville the Cardinals went 34 and 18, never losing more than five games in a season while going to four bowl games. Now he is looking forward to showing his best in Massachusetts.

“I had the GM (Yatim) get in contact with me and we had a great talk about the opportunities that are out there for me and it made sense. I’m excited and ready to get back on the field, bringing my intensity and working for a better opportunity at the next level, if its AAF, CFL or NFL, but mentally I’m focused on right now, just go to work and do what I do best, make big plays and bring that intensity,” Williams said.

What makes the Pirates attractive to him is the fact that they have moved several players up to other levels.

“Yes, most definitely and it seems like the Pirates have attracted a lot of big time guys that can play big time ball and I guess it was not a mistake that I’ve signed with them and right now we’re ready to get the show on the road,” Williams said. Personally I’m just a guy who loves to hit. Make big plays and big hits come with it. I’m all about the ball and I just want to look for the ball,” he added.

Williams says he is ready to learn the ins and outs of the arena game and he’s not concerned with receivers coming at him in high motion.

“No. I’ve been watching film clips of arena football of the man in high motion and the type of routes they run. It doesn’t worry me at all. That’s why I love the game so much because I’m a student of it. That’s why I’m so ready to get on the field now because I pretty much have an idea of what to look for already. That won’t be a problem for me at all,” Williams said. “Personally I want to work on getting bigger. My heart speaks for itself. My ability speaks for itself. I’m not scared of contact or anyone personally, but I’d like to put on a few more pounds and I’ll be good to go,” he added.

The Massachusetts Pirates are members of the National Arena League (NAL). The Pirates play all home games at the DCU Center located at 50 Foster St. Worcester, MA. 01608. Pirate Nation Season Ticket Memberships for the 2019 season will be on sale in September. Pirate Nation Memberships start as low as $199.00. To become a Pirate Nation Season Ticket member or for more information on the Massachusetts Pirates please call (508) 452-MASS (6277), email contact@masspiratesfootball.com or visit www.masspiratesfootball.com. Single game tickets are available online at ticketmaster.com or the DCU Center Box Office. For group outings please call 508-452-MASS (6277). Follow the Pirates on Facebook at Facebook.com/MAPirates on Instagram @mass.pirates, as well as Twitter @mass_pirates.